LUDWIG AUGUST LEBRUN: OBOE CONCERTOS Bart Schneemann – oboe Radio Chamber Orchestra Jan Willem de Vriend – conductor Channel Classics CCS16198 £££ Oboe Concertos in d minor, B-flat major and g minor; TPT: 58' 50

Superb playing, stylistically informed, fantastic engineering.

The compact disc market is saturated with recordings of popular works, repackaged compilations and re-issues, so any recording of unusual repertoire is to be welcomed, especially one as fine as this.

Lebrun could hardly be described as a prolific composer, yet these are mature works bearing all the hallmarks of the Mannheim School, where he was an oboist in the court orchestra. The concertos were published by André perhaps as late as 1804 and were almost certainly conceived for the oboe, though they also appeared in versions for flute. Given the relative scarcity of eighteenth-century wind concertos, Lebrun no doubt felt obliged to compose works to help promote his international reputation.

In 1775 Schubart stated that Lebrun "attained the maximum in perfection on the oboe". Likewise, whether playing intricate passagework or leaping from one extreme of the instrument to the other, Schneemann's oboe playing oozes with confidence, but never with virtuosity for its own sake. Following concerts in Paris in 1779, the Mercure de France noted "a soft, velvety quality, a sweetness that one can hardly believe possible". Once again, Schneemann is Lebrun's equal, producing liquid tones with an uncanny flute-like purity at times. This is modern oboe playing at its best, stylistically informed by Schneemann's studies on the baroque oboe (see Online Journal, January 2001) and superbly accompanied by the excellent Radio Chamber Orchestra. Rarely have I heard a modern chamber orchestra that can match the clarity of period instruments, albeit aided by a close recording within a crystal-clear acoustic.

Schneemann captures the essential charm and innocence of this music in an utterly convincing way. If you prefer period instruments in this repertoire then Paul Goodwin's recording of the d minor concerto with the English Concert (Archiv 431 821-2, coupled with concertos by Mozart and CPE Bach) is worth considering. Nevertheless, the B-flat and g minor concertos are excellent works and it would be a pity to miss Schneemann's impeccable recording.

Three concertos remain in the 1804 set and Schneemann should be encouraged to record them as soon as possible. A final warning: the Haydnesque rondos are highly infectious… enjoy!

Stephen Bray